Interim
by Shonetta
Summary: J/C of sorts . Sets up Shattered to follow Endgame. Janeway makes a discovery and all is not what it seems.


Star Trek Voyager characters are the property of Paramount Pictures

This story sets up the mid-season seven episode _Shattered_ to follow _Endgame_. The story continues from the final scene of _Endgame_ to setting the scene for _Shattered_.

**Interim**

_"Mr Chakotay, the helm."_

_"Aye, Captain."_

_Seven of Nine gazed adoringly at Chakotay as he took Tom's chair. Captain Janeway slowly made her way to her seat. Forcing back tears, she gave the order she had given so many times over the past seven years, always in anticipation of this moment. "Set a course ... for home."_

Surrounded by an armada of Federation ships, the U.S.S. Voyager finally made her way to the destination she had traveled all the way across the galaxy to reach, Planet Earth.

Seven smiled contentedly to herself at what she had observed before her and gazed at the frozen scene of Voyager approaching Earth. The holonovel was coming on well, very well. There were just a few adjustments she felt she had to make. A few more deaths would make Admiral Janeway's actions more believable, and the conflict between the Admiral and the Borg Queen needed to be longer. But her holodeck time was almost over and she was expected to report to the Bridge in just under fifteen minutes. There was no time to make any changes.

"Computer, end program."

Instantly the scene before her disappeared and the blackness of space was replaced with the empty silver of the holodeck. Seven turned around, ready to leave, and gasped when she saw her captain standing behind her. She was pale, drawn, and there were remnants of tears on her face. There was a long tense silence and Seven was the first to speak.

"How long have you been here?"

Kathryn's voice was quiet, more hoarse than usual. "Long enough, Seven, long enough." She slowly bridged the gap between them. "Come to my quarters. We need to talk."

* * *

Seven watched as Kathryn replicated herself a coffee. She hadn't said a word since they had left the holodeck, and silence was unusual for Captain Janeway. Still maintaining silence, Kathryn left the replicator and went to sit on her couch. She looked up at Seven and spoke at last.

"Come sit by me, Seven."

Seven dared not disobey and went to sit next to her. There was another silence as Kathryn took a sip of her coffee, trying to collect her thoughts and searching for the words to best convey them.

"That program you were running ... would I be correct in believing you created it?"

"Yes, Captain," Seven replied quietly.

"May I ask why?"

"The Doctor believed writing would be a good way of exploring and expressing my humanity given the limitations imposed on me because of my failsafe device."

"I see. And how long have you been working on it?"

"A few weeks." She paused. "I never meant for you or anyone else to see it. I'm sorry if it..." she searched for the word... "offends you."

Tears welled in Kathryn's eyes. "It doesn't offend me, Seven, quite the contrary." She paused. "But it does concern me ... very much."

"Because of Admiral Janeway's actions?"

"Partly, but my main concern is the portrayal of yourself ... of Chakotay."

Seven averted her eyes.

"Have you ever substituted yourself into the novel?"

Seven hesitated, not wanting to lie, but also not wanting to divulge the truth. "No, it is passive only."

"But the vivacious and passionate Seven who is intimate with Chakotay, is the Seven you really want to be, isn't she?"

Seven made no reply. Kathryn put down her coffee on her table and put her hand on Seven's shoulder.

"Please don't be embarrassed, Seven. You're just becoming aware of your sexuality and Chakotay is a very attractive man. It's natural that you find him attractive."

Seven looked up at her Captain, feeling she had to be honest.

"It was an experiment."

"An experiment?"

"I wasn't telling the truth. Once I ... I substituted myself into a program with Chakotay."

There was a moment of silence as Kathryn absorbed this. "And in this program, were you intimate with him?"

Seven hesitated, but then nodded. "That's why my failsafe device activated."

"I see," Kathryn replied, suddenly understanding a remark the Doctor had made about a holo Chakotay. "What did you hope to achieve by this experiment?"

"I wanted to explore different aspects of my humanity, in particular my sexuality. What I experienced with Axum in Unimatrix Zero was pleasant and I wished to experience it again. Only I didn't know how... I can't remember the years I spent with him. All I have are fleeting memories... just random pictures. I thought if I experimented with romantic relationships, I could be more like Annika again. After careful consideration of all crew members, I decided Chakotay would be the most suitable partner."

"And why was that?"

"Because he has all the qualities a woman desires in a partner."

"Such as?"

"Intelligence, maturity, physical strength, and sexual virulence." She paused and her voice fell to almost a whisper. "Also because I knew he was your choice and you would only choose a worthy man."

Kathryn fought to hold back the tears. "Oh, Seven."

"But the more intimate we became, the less control I had of my emotions, and the more dependent I became on the physical sensations of his touch. I could not control my response to the hologram ... and afterwards, to Chakotay himself."

Kathryn took Seven's hand in hers. "That's the power of sex, Seven. Physical intimacy should only be a part of a committed, loving, relationship. Then it becomes a beautiful expression of love, a beautiful bonding experience. When there is no love, when sex is used only to give physical gratification, it can be a confusing and painful experience."

"But is not the ultimate purpose of a romantic relationship physical gratification?"

"No, Seven. It can be, but the most solid relationships are those based on love and friendship. We're all more than our physical parameters, and while physical attraction is good, the attraction between a man and a woman needs to be more than physical, more than a superficial conformation to a specified ideal. It needs to be an attraction of minds, of personality."

"It is still confusing to me."

Kathryn squeezed Seven's hand before letting it go. "With time it will all become clearer to you. We've all suffered the same confusion. It's called adolescence."

"But I am a mature adult."

"Physically. But adolescence is more than a physical process. More than anything, it's an emotional development, the period of transition from childhood to adulthood. For the first time we become aware of our sexuality, experience powerful emotions and attractions that are exciting and frightening all at once. We become aware of our changing bodies, our fertility, and while we anticipate sexual intimacy, we also have our concerns and fears. But most of us make this transition over years, learn to identify different emotions as we mature. You've gone from a little girl into the beautiful young woman you are today in the blink of an eye. It's so easy to forget that when looking at you." She paused. " I'm sorry I haven't been the help to you I should have been. When I first told you to take an interest in romance, I didn't know about your failsafe device and the restrictions that placed on your experience of emotion, and didn't think carefully enough about the implications of such a relationship. I've let you take too much guidance from the Doctor in these matters and he's only learning about humanity and relationships himself. What you need is female guidance. Most of us have other females to talk to about our feelings while we're growing up, have a mother or grandmother we can turn to. I want you to talk to me. And we'll talk to the Doctor together about what will be necessary to remove your failsafe device. Once you can experience emotion without inhibition, you'll soon be able to distinguish between emotions, be able to identify your own emotional needs, aswell as the needs of others." She paused again. "But I don't want you experimenting with holograms anymore. It's a dangerous game. Reality and illusion merge and we can't separate fact from fantasy. Holograms can fill what we think is a void in our life and we become so completely absorbed in the fantasy that we lose sight of what is real. It's happened to me. When you meet someone special, love will guide your physical responses, and the fears, the doubts, they'll dissipate."

"Will they, Captain?"

Kathryn nodded. "I promise you they will."

Seven managed a soft smile, but then was uncomfortable again. "You won't tell the Commander what I've been doing, will you? He would think me foolish."

"Of course not, Seven. This stays between us. But he wouldn't think you foolish. He would be very flattered to have such a beautiful and intelligent woman interested in him."

"But it's you he cares for."

Now it was Kathryn's turn to be uncomfortable. "Once upon a time."

"And still, Captain. I've spent a lot of time with him lately and have noticed the way he reacts to your presence. When you enter the room his pupils dilate and his respiration accelerates."

Kathryn laughed softly. "Not a very romantic analysis, Seven."

"But true. And I have been..." She paused. "I have been jealous."

Kathryn had to smile at the honesty. "Is that why you had Chakotay slight my dinner invitation and wish to deactivate the comm at the sound of my voice?"

Seven hesitated, but then nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I used to be jealous of Donna O'Brien."

"Donna O'Brien?"

"The most beautiful and most popular girl in our High School. I, like every other girl, had a crush on the delectable John Francis, but Donna O'Brien was the only girl he was interested in. I despised her so much that I defiled one of the head girl campaign posters she had put up around school and made her look like a Cardassian." She smiled at the memory and then took up her coffee again. The drink was almost cold, but that didn't bother her. She took a sip before going on to the next subject. "I'm also concerned about the general premise of your novel... Voyager getting home... especially the way Voyager gets home." She paused. "What happened two years ago, when the Borg Queen lured you back to the Collective, it still troubles you, doesn't it?"

Seven hesitated, but then nodded.

"You think you are special to the Borg Queen, that she leaves us alone out of grace or because of some carefully ordained plan."

"That is what she told me."

"She was deceiving you, Seven. The only reason you are here with us now is because we severed your connection to the Hive Mind and kept you with us. The Borg Queen did not orchestrate events to place you with us. She told you all this because she wanted to use you to assimilate Earth. You are as valuable or as worthless to her as her needs dictate. If she could, she would assimilate us all regardless of whether or not you are onboard." She put her coffee down on the table again. "She told you she was planning to assimilate Earth by infecting humanity with some kind of virus. Is that why you had Admiral Janeway infect the Borg with a pathogen?"

Seven nodded. "I ... I wanted to see her suffer for what she has done to me, to my parents ... I wanted to destroy the Borg."

Kathryn put her hand on Seven's shoulder. "It's a natural reaction ... very human ... but anger and revenge are not sentiments we should encourage. We need to let go of our anger, let go of our resentment, or it ferments deep inside us until we become blinded by hatred and no better than those who inflicted the first pain upon us."

"But if you could, would you not destroy the Borg, exterminate them?"

"If I could, I would prevent them from assimilating more humanoids and attempt to give back all drones their liberty and individuality. I would destroy a Borg transwarp hub, but all a pathogen would achieve would be the deaths of innocent drones. The Borg would adapt and disconnect infected drones from the Hive Mind. You know me well enough to know that I regard all life as sacred, and that includes the lives of drones. They were all individuals once, remarkable individuals as you have become, and someday they may become individuals again."

"But they are drones because of the Queen. She is their consciousness ... she is the Borg. If she is destroyed, all drones would be liberated."

"You know that isn't true, Seven. The Queen has been physically destroyed before. No matter how many times her physical embodiment is destroyed, her consciousness lives on in the Collective, and it can take physical form again."

"But she is destructible ... the Borg is destructible."

"Perhaps. But there are millions of drones, billions. It would be beyond the capacity of any species we know to destroy every single drone. As long as some drones survive, so will the Collective and the Borg Queen."

Seven averted her eyes and Kathryn saw her struggle with her feelings. She knew this discussion was painful for her, but she had to continue. Too many issues had gone too long unaddressed.

"And why the sudden interest in getting Voyager home? You've never shown any interest before."

Seven took a deep breath."I thought if I created a successful return scenario, it would help me to prepare for the event should it happen."

Kathryn had to smile. "When we do make it home," she said gently, "I'd rather we do it without breaking the temporal prime directive. I don't want to give myself, Starfleet Command, or the time-police a headache."

Seven looked up at her and a ghost of a smile crossed her lips.

"I know you're afraid, Seven," Kathryn continued. "You wonder what will happen to you when we return to Earth. You wish for the care of someone like Chakotay, someone you know, trust, someone who has been responsible for you while you have been on board this ship. Am I right?"

Seven nodded. "There is no where I belong on Earth, no one who will care for me."

Kathryn took Seven's hand again. "I care for you, Seven. I care very much ... every bit as much as Admiral Janeway cared for you."

Seven's eyes misted and her voice was barely a whisper. "You do?"

"Of course I do..."

"But you are always displeased with me ... always dissatisfied. You do not treat me the way you treat Lieutenant Torres."

"In what way?"

"You have always shown her..." she struggled for the word..."affection."

Tears welled in Kathryn's eyes. "Oh Seven," she whispered. "I always thought physical affection was unwelcome to you. That's why I've kept a physical distance between us. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"But I did... do ... want your affection, Captain. I just... I didn't... I didn't know how to respond ... how to embrace..."

Tearfully, Kathryn drew Seven close. "I'm sorry, Seven. I'm so sorry. I should have realized." Seven tentatively responded to Kathryn's embrace and then held her tight. They held each other a while until Kathryn drew away, afraid Seven's failsafe device would activate. She touched Seven's face. For four years she had done everything that she could to help her recover her humanity. She had tried to be a friend to her, had tried to be a teacher, a mentor, a guide, but what Seven had really needed was motherly affection, someone to teach her about love in its simplest and purest form. But it wasn't too late. She could still fill the void the assimilation of her mother had created. "I always wanted a daughter," she said softly. "And in so many ways you've become like a daughter to me. I've helped you, nurtured you, watched you grow from a helpless drone into the wonderful person you are today. My care for you won't stop when we get to Earth." She smiled warmly. "And don't forget you have an aunt who loves you and is very much looking forward to meeting you. You won't be alone, Seven. There's nothing to fear."

Seven smiled softly and a tear escaped her eye. She wiped it away. "I will delete the holonovel, Captain."

Kathryn nodded sadly. "That might be a good idea. But I don't want you to stop writing altogether. You have quite an imagination. I loved the idea of Voyager becoming a museum."

"That was not my idea, Captain," Seven confessed. "I overheard Tom Paris say that if we ever reach Earth, Voyager will be made into a museum and you will become an Admiral." She paused. "Most of the conversations were ones I've overheard since coming to Voyager. For scenes that required imagination, I simply ran a holographic simulation with the desired characters and incorporated their responses into the novel. It didn't require any ingenuity on my part. I was present at baby Miral's birth and simply recreated Lieutenant Torres's labor. All I did was change the context by having Tom leave her to pilot Voyager through the transwarp corridor instead of piloting us out of the anomaly we encountered."

Kathryn smiled. "Did B'Elanna really threaten to rip the Doctor's head off?"

"And other parts of his anatomy."

Kathryn laughed softly. Then she fell serious again. "And the Doctor? What was all that about him having a wife and calling himself Joe?"

"The Doctor was considering it as a name for himself and Tom Paris found it amusing. As to his wife, he has often expressed a desire to marry and after he made his feelings known to me last week, I thought I would give him a wife that resembled me."

"Thoughtful logic," Kathryn laughed. "And speaking of logic, why was Tuvok suffering from a degenerative neurological disease?" Her face suddenly paled. "There's no truth in it, is there?"

"No, Captain," Seven reassured her. "I just needed justifications for the Admiral's actions and this was one of them. The loss of logic would be the greatest tragedy that could happen to a Vulcan."

"Perhaps," Kathryn replied. She then hesitated before asking the next question. "And the conversation between yourself and Chakotay in Astrometrics? It was ... familiar."

Seven was a moment in answering. "My hearing is more sensitive than the average humanoids. I was once on my way to your quarters to give you a report when I overheard you and the Commander argue about the nature of your relationship. I believe it was after the events surrounding Unimatrix Zero. I incorporated what I overheard into the novel."

"I see," Kathryn said quietly and was silent for a moment. "That explains why you had Admiral Janeway say all those things to you ... the ideas she put in your head..." Tears welled in her eyes. "When we've suffered great tragedy in our lives, lost people we love, we sometimes become afraid of loving someone else incase we lose them too..." She paused. "I raved on about protocols and parameters, but Chakotay knew there was more to it than that. He wouldn't let up so I went on about the dangers of our profession, how devastating it would be to one of us if the other died, and that there were just some barriers we could never cross..." She paused. "I'm sorry what you overheard put ideas into your head, made you worry about a relationship with someone incase you or he should die."

Kathryn fidgeted with her commbadge as she always did when she was nervous.

"Chakotay was right and I was wrong. We can't live our lives fearing the future, regretting the past. We have to live for now and make the most of the time we do have. Your holonovel, it was like ... like looking into a mirror and seeing yourself truly as you are for the first time. I'm always telling you to let go of the past, to stop punishing yourself for events that were out of your control, but I hold tightly to the past myself, punish myself..." She looked up at Seven. "We both need to let go, Seven. We both need to embrace the future and start living again before it's too late. For you, deleting your novel will be a start, and for me... perhaps shattering some barriers..." She smiled. "Come on, let's disturb our Talaxian friend in his new found paradise and catch up for a while. He hasn't made contact with us since he first left. It's about time we spoke to him. We can find out if there are indeed wedding bells in the air." She hit her commbadge. "Janeway to communications."

"Kim here."

"Open a channel to the Talaxian settlement. Seven and I would like to speak with Neelix."

"Acknowledged. Kim out."

Kathryn got up and went over to her monitor, making it ready to receive the transmission. Moments later, Harry's voice sounded over the comm. "We are unable to establish a connection, Captain. There's no response."

"No response?"

"Their communication system could be failing."

Seven stood up. "The Talaxians may be under attack again, Captain, which is why Neelix hasn't communicated with us."

"That thought has crossed my mind. Harry, set a course for the Talaxian settlement, maximum warp."

"Yes, Captain."

As the comm connection terminated, Seven stepped closer to Kathryn. "How long will it take us to get there?"

"As we took a major detour to explore this region of space after leaving the Talaxian settlement and have only just got back on course, at maximum warp, we should reach the Talaxian settlement in ten, twelve, fourteen hours at most."

* * *

It was quiet and uneventful on the Bridge as Voyager made its way to the Talaxian settlement. It was past midnight and Kathryn was almost asleep in the Captain's chair. She felt a kind hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Chakotay looking down at her. He held a cup of coffee in his hands. He smiled warmly. "Thought this might help you burn the midnight oil."

Kathryn took the coffee with a smile. "Just what I needed."

Chakotay sat in his chair and Kathryn sat forward, savoring a sip of her coffee.

"Not much longer now," Chakotay said. "We should be there in less than an hour."

"I just hope Neelix is alright. I've been concerned for the past week. I told him to keep in regular contact with us, but he's only made contact twice since he left."

"It's probably a case of tempus fugit. It seems a long time to us since he contacted us because we miss him, but he's probably enjoying himself so much that it seems like only yesterday."

"You're probably right."

With that, she reclined in her chair.

"Captain."

"Yes, Ensign Kim?"

"I'm detecting no Talaxian life signs on the asteroid."

Kathryn shared a concerned glance with Chakotay and then turned to Harry. "How can that be?"

"I don't know, Captain."

"Are our systems malfunctioning?"

"Not that I can tell."

"Run a full diagnostic, just incase."

"Yes, Captain."

Tuvok interrupted. "There is, however, a vessel less than 0.4 light years away."

Kathryn turned her attention to Tuvok. "Can it be identified?"

"Yes, Captain. It's Neelix's shuttle."

"Is he inside?"

"Affirmative."

Kathryn turned to Harry again. "Mr Kim, hail him."

Harry tried to hail him. "He's not responding to hails, Captain."

"Then take us in closer. When we're close enough, beam me to his ship."

Chakotay leant forward and spoke discretely. "I don't want you going to his ship alone."

Kathryn turned to him. "I'll be alright, Chakotay."

"Perhaps, but I want someone with you, just incase. We don't know what's happened."

Kathryn sighed, but was always secretly pleased at his concern.

"Alright," she smiled. "I'll take Harry."

* * *

Kathryn and Harry materialized in Neelix's shuttle. They looked around. Neelix was sitting amongst his debris collection, a blanket over him. He looked up at them and there was infinite pain and fear in his eyes. "Captain ... Ensign... Is it really you?"

Kathryn stepped closer. "Of course it's us," she said gently.

Neelix drew the blanket tighter around himself "No, you can't be. The real Captain Janeway and Harry Kim will be hundreds of light years away by now..."

"We took a detour to do some exploring," Kathryn explained. "When we couldn't make contact with you this morning, we came back to investigate, just incase you and your people were under attack again."

She saw Neelix's eyes search her own, desperate to determine if this was really her. Kathryn went over to him and sat beside him.

"It's really me, Neelix."

Tears welled in his eyes as he saw that it really was. He drew her close and held her tight. Kathryn returned his embrace briefly and then drew away. "Tell me what's happened."

"It was all a trick, Captain," he replied quietly. "There was no... no Talaxians."

"I don't understand."

"Species 8472. They deceived us. There is a disease ravaging their race, a disease they contacted in this quadrant. They're searching the entire quadrant for a cure and, unbeknown to us, scanned Voyager to get specific biological readings on us all. They believed Talaxian physiology could provide them with a cure and they wanted to take samples of my body, conduct experiments, take my life if necessary. But they didn't believe you would surrender me and didn't want to open up old wounds between you and them. So they planned an elaborate deception. They controlled everything, manipulated us all ... knew how we would react ... how I would react... knew my hopes, my dreams. They maintained the deception until Voyager was far enough away and then they revealed their true selves. I was subjected to experiment after experiment, some I remember, some I don't, and at the end of it, they found out that Talaxian physiology was no use to them after all. They abandoned me in my shuttle and disappeared."

"Oh Neelix..." Kathryn whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"I should have known it was all too good to be true ... a Talaxian settlement... Dexa... Brax..."

Harry stepped closer. "Have they infected you with this disease?"

Neelix looked up at him. "No. If they did that, my body samples would be diseased and of no use."

Kathryn put her hand on Neelix's shoulder. "Have you tried to contact us, come after us?"

He shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Because I left you ... couldn't ask you to take me back ... didn't think you'd want me."

"Oh Neelix," Kathryn said tearfully. "How could you think that? Of course we want you. We all love you dearly and have missed you very much. Voyager is as much a home to you as it is to any of us. You're a part of our family and you always will be."

A brightness began to fill his dull eyes. "Then you'll take me back?"

"Of course," Kathryn smiled. "Of course."

* * *

The Mess Hall was unusually busy the following morning when Kathryn arrived. She wanted to speak to Chakotay, but had been too busy all morning to say more than hello and good-bye. There had been a dozen reports to analyze and she and Seven had spent over an hour with the Doctor discussing the removal of her failsafe device. The Doctor didn't believe he could ever remove it in one simple operation, but believed it could be possible to remove it in two. Kathryn looked around the Mess Hall, hoping to see Chakotay. He usually took his break just after 11:00 hours, and she hoped today would be no exception. She was pleased to see that it wasn't. He was sitting alone at a table, eating what appeared to be scrambled eggs. Kathryn walked over to him.

"In the mood for company?"

Chakotay turned to her and smiled, his dimples showing. "For yours, always."

Kathryn returned his smile and sat before him. Silently she watched him eat the remainder of his scrambled eggs. Chakotay noticed her silence and put his knife and folk down on his almost empty plate. He looked up at her.

"You're very quiet. Is everything alright?"

Kathryn averted her eyes. "I'm just a bit tired, didn't sleep well."

"You should take the afternoon off. You've been working yourself too hard lately. I'll take care of everything."

Kathryn smiled softly and looked up at him again. "A few hours to myself would be nice. I suppose I could take a couple of hours off." She paused. "But I'll lay in a condition."

"What's that?"

"You join me for dinner tonight."

Chakotay smiled warmly. "You have a deal."

Their eyes locked and Kathryn let herself drown in his until Neelix's voice commanded her attention.

"Can I get you anything, Captain?"

Kathryn turned in the direction of the voice. Neelix was standing beside her, dressed in his apron, and carrying a tray of empty plates in his hands.

"Neelix," she exclaimed, "the Doctor told you take it easy for a few days."

"Oh, I'm as right as rain, Captain," he replied. "And there's too much to be done around here for me to be a man of leisure. The hydroponic bay has been neglected and everything in here is in a right muddle. I'm going to have to do a full inventory of what food resources we have. We can't afford to let anything go to waste."

Kathryn smiled, glad to see him settling back in so well. "We certainly can't, Neelix."

"So," he asked again, "can I get you anything?"

"Just a coffee, thank you."

"One black coffee coming up," he said, and hurried off to fulfill the request.

"Tuvok to Commander Chakotay."

Chakotay hit his commbadge. "Chakotay here."

"You are required on the Bridge."

"Acknowledged. Chakotay out."

He picked up a box from the chair beside him and placed it on top of the table. Kathryn looked at it curiously. "What do you have there?"

"Just a little something I don't want Neelix getting his hands on."

Kathryn laughed softly. "It wouldn't happen to be a certain beverage, would it?"

Chakotay smiled deviously and got to his feet, picking up the box as he did. "You ask too many questions, Kathryn Janeway."

With that he left the room and she watched him go. Seven and Icheb entered just as he was leaving and he smiled warmly at them. If Seven felt any discomfort, she was able to conceal it. Neelix returned with a steaming cup of coffee and placed it before her.

"Are you sure I can't tempt you with anything else, Captain?"

"No, Neelix, thank you."

Seven and Icheb sat at the table next to hers and Neelix turned his attention to them. "Can I get you two fine people something to eat?"

"We're both fine," Seven replied.

Kathryn saw the disappointment on his face and knew that he needed encouragement and reassurance at the moment. She looked in the direction of the kitchen. "Is that a lemon meringue pie I see over there?"

Neelix span around. "Yes, Captain. I baked it this morning."

"It looks delicious. Would it be too much trouble to have a slice?"

"No trouble at all," he beamed. "I'll cut you a piece right away."

As he left, Kathryn turned to Seven and Icheb. "What are you two up to?"

"We are discussing my assignment on transwarp technology," Icheb replied.

"I see, "Kathryn said, trying to hide her amusement.

"I have done much work on transwarp over the past few weeks."

"Too much," Seven interrupted, her embarrassment apparent. "I believe I have been too enthusiastic about that medium of travel lately. As a counterbalance, write me a paper on transwarp instability by 9:00 hours tomorrow. Then we'll move on to another subject."

Icheb sighed at the thought of another assignment. He had three to do already. "Yes, Seven."

Neelix returned with a rather generous slice of lemon meringue pie on a silver plate with a fork. "One slice of lemon meringue pie for Captain Janeway," he said, placing the plate before her.

Kathryn smiled. "Thank you, kind Sir."

"My pleasure, Captain. Anything else you need, just let me know."

"I will, Neelix, thank you."

He smiled and then went to attend Naomi and Samantha Wildman who had just entered the room.

"Captain?"

Kathryn turned to Seven.

"I have deleted program Endgame Zero One."

Kathryn nodded in acknowledgment. "How did that make you feel?"

Seven hesitated, but then smiled softly. "It felt good."

Kathryn returned her smile. Seven then turned her attention once again to Icheb. Kathryn's eyes drifted from the former drones to Neelix, Samantha, and Naomi. She watched them talk, watched Naomi laugh happily at whatever Neelix was saying. Her eyes then drifted to the other crew members sitting all around her. They were all stranded in the Delta Quadrant, thousands of light years from home, but still they looked so happy, so at peace. It's not the destination, it's the journey. The words Seven had put into Harry's mouth had haunted her ever since she had heard them. She had always been so obsessed with the destination that she had never allowed herself to enjoy the journey. She knew, finally, it was about time that she did.

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End file.
